Erosion of Neverland
by Anachia
Summary: Wendy worries endlessly as World War I destroys her way of life. Meanwhile Peter Pan becomes distraught when he finds himself growing up and facing a new, deadlier foe...


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Author's notes: Just a note about the date of this fic. It is set five years after Wendy and company returned from Neverland. Seen as how the novel was written in 1911 (I'm taking that as the date it's set, seen as I don't know the actual date.) the 'current' year is about 1916, mid World War I. 

That's all you probably need to know. Hope you enjoy. I'm kind of mingling all Peter Pan lore here, from the book and the most recent film (which is SO good, if you haven't seen it, you should.) but mostly it is based on the book.

Please leave a review if you have a chance and thanks for reading!

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Disclaimer: Peter Pan and associated characters do not belong to me. I'm merely using them for kicks and not receiving any money in return! P.S. Hats off to J.M. Barrie who left the copyright of the novel to Great Ormand Street Hospital for Sick Children!

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Wendy smiled sadly as she silently closed the door of the boy's bedroom. Her boys, her Lost boys. Now, more than ever she felt this name fitting. In the five years since she had left Neverland life had changed unimaginably for the Darling family. The world was at war and Wendy severely doubted whether any of them would live to see an end to the conflict. She was now truly the mother of 'her' boys. Her parents had been caught in a neighbouring house during the Blitz. What little remained of their bodies had been buried in a mass grave in a ceremony none of the Darling family, adopted or otherwise, could attend. They now lived in a dilapidated cottage in the midst of a large forest. The village was a seven-mile walk from their home, a disadvantage admittedly, but Wendy could not bear to have the last remaining family torn away from her should their situation be discovered. 

She cared for the house as best she could. The Lost Boys quickly remembered their hunting skills and she herself grew fruits and vegetables to the best of her ability. With the merchant ships frequently sunk by German U-boats they ate as well as anyone during those hard times. 

She blew out the few hall lights, oil was in short supply, and returned to her room to patch the boys clothing. Squinting in the dim candlelight she sighed long and heavy, fighting against the tears stinging her eyes. The Boys were growing to quickly, even Michael the youngest was fast becoming a man. She dreaded the day they would be enlisted, forced to fight in a dark, dank trench, with little hope of survival. 

Now, more than ever she cursed her decision to leave Neverland, to leave Peter. She forcefully put down her sowing and squeezed her eyes shut, restraining her tears. She would not cry for him again…after all, he had forgotten her. He had promised to return, to visit her but he never had. For many years she had sat, night after night, by the open window, awaiting his return, but, alas, her wait was in vain. The Boys seemed to forget their leader. They talked of him now as if he had been a game, an imagined hero. Sometimes Wendy would find herself slipping, perhaps Peter had been imaginary but she still had his kiss, the acorn button still hung from a chain but this she left on her bedside table, no longer around her neck.. 

These nights she wished Peter would appear at the window, the carefree, boyish smile on his perpetually child-like face. She wished he would take them away, not from growing up for she had done that already, but from the hell the world had become. She wanted him to save the Boys, to take them away where they would never be forced to fight and die for their country. She cried out as the images that plagued her sleep ran vividly through her waking mind; of their bodies, battered and broken, left to rot in some nameless land, forgotten and uncared for. She opened her eyes attempting to blind out the images but they burned her psyche. In desperation she flung the window open. The chill autumn air assaulted her senses but she ignored it. She searched the sky, hoping against hope to see a boyish silhouette and a moving star, but as always it was empty, save for the moon and stars. No Peter Pan. No Tinkerbell. With a muffled cry she leaned out as far as she could, tears streaming her face. She took a deep breath and shakily called to the night sky. 

"PETER!!!" She searched the sky for any sign of him, knowing instinctively that such a search would prove fruitless. "PETER!!!" She did not look up this time. Her strength failed her and slowly she slipped to the floor. 

She pulled her knees to her chest and wept. She wept for her Lost Boys, Boys who's fate seemed sealed, who's eulogies were already written.

So caught up in her grief was she that she did not notice something strange happen. Hidden in a tree, not far from her window, a figure watched her intently. With a small leap he soared through the air and silently entered her window. He watched her puzzled for a few seconds before he knelt beside her. "Girl," he said courteously, "why are you crying?"

Wendy called out in shock. She moved back as she turned to look at the boy crouching near her. But she did not get far for something tugged at the back of her mind. She knew this boy, or perhaps once she did. Yet he was unlike anyone she knew before. His skin was tan, with a light peppering of freckles across his nose. Dirt and scraps covered his face and hands. His hair was sun bleached blonde and hung about his face in a slightly untidy manner. He was clad in skeleton leaves and his feet were bare. But it was his eyes that Wendy remembered. As blue as a tropical lagoon, he blinked them confusedly at her. In those eyes Wendy saw such innocence, like that of a baby, someone who still believed in fairness, truth and honour. They were not the eyes of an English boy, nor any other boy on Earth. Something stirred within her and she felt her heart leap. "Peter?" She asked shakily.

He smiled his cheeky grin at her and rose into the air, bowing beautifully. Slowly he came to his previous position before her. He studied her intently. "What's your name?" 

Wendy almost cried out in anguish, he had forgotten her. "It's me, Peter. Wendy." She felt her voice crack and tears once more stained her cheeks. 

"Wendy." He repeated her, as if tasting the name. She watched as he chewed his bottom lip and furrowed his brow, thinking hard. "Wendy…" Suddenly his head snapped up. "Wendy Moria Angela?" He leapt into the air and spun around before landing closer to her and beaming brightly. "I've been looking for you, but you weren't at your window." He frowned, looking around the room, as if noticing for the first time he was no longer in the nursery. 

"We had to leave that house…" She wiped her eyes. "Oh Peter, such terrible things are happening here. I'm sorry we had to leave."

"But I've found you know." He smiled and for the first time Wendy saw the sorry hidden behind his eyes. 

"Peter, what's wrong?" 

He smiled sadly and dropped his voice to a whisper. "Can I give you a thimble?" He asked, taking her hand. 

Wendy swallowed, her mouth gone dry. "Peter…I-" She searched his face and in that moment noticed for the first time the difference in the boy before her... for he was no longer a boy. She saw it clearly now, perhaps she was to shocked at having seen him at first, or perhaps she had not wanted to see but once she had acknowledged the change she could no longer deny it. "Peter, you've… you're." 

He immediately dropped her hand and jumped to his feet, fighting desperately against tears. "Don't say it! Don't you dare saw it!" 

She watched him in shock for a few seconds, to over come in disbelief to react. He had got taller and broader. When she had left Neverland he had been her height, as children of a similar age frequently are but now she could plainly see he was far taller than she was, and she herself had grown a great deal. His chest and arms were toned and slightly muscled. His face was most dramatic of all for he no longer had the soft, round features of a boy. Gone was the puppy fat of youth to be replaced by a slightly chiselled jaw and prominent cheekbones. Only his eyes remained unchanged, still desperately clinging to the wonder of boyhood. "Oh Peter, I'm so sorry." She stood and approached him. 

He backed away from her and pouted, looking slightly more like the boy he had once been. 

"Peter, what happened?" Shaking she touched him lightly on the arm. 

He looked up sharply, tears still glistening in his eyes, and strode towards her. He stopped just before her and she blushed deep crimson at the intent look he gave her. In the five years since her return she had quite forgotten Peter's disregard for personal space. He continued to stare at her and Wendy read the question in his eyes. Consenting, she closed her eyes. She felt light and giddy as Peter lightly pressed his lips to hers. His kiss was light and innocent, like gentle spring rain. He pulled back and stroked her cheek tenderly, smiling sadly once more. "Goodbye Wendy Lady." He whispered before taking to the air and alighting through the window. 

Wendy watched in shock for a second before breaking into a most undignified run and pelting after him. He was almost gone when she managed to grab him by the ankle and roughly pull him back into her bedroom. They landed in a heap on the floor but Peter was on his feet in less than a second. "Wendy!" He chastised her.

"Peter, where are you going?" She asked, feeling tears prick her eyes once more. "I've been waiting for you to return for five years!"

"To die would be an awfully big adventure!" He replied cryptically before once more making a break for the window. 

"Peter!" Wendy moved faster this time and grabbed him around the waist, knocking him to the ground. She stood, barring the window, and glared at him. "Explain yourself Peter Pan."

He gapped up at her from his undignified place on the floor. "I'm returning to Neverland."

"What did you mean by 'to die would be an awfully big adventure'?" Wendy asked, fumbling with the window, attempting to close it. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Peter grinned at her. "I'm always in _some_ kind of trouble." He replied as he floated lazily on his back. His expression dropped slowly however. "It's just that…"

"What?" Wendy moved to his side.

He righted himself and stared down at her. "I'm…there's something wrong with me. I think I'm sick."

"Do you feel unwell?"

"No, but I…" He furrowed his brow. "I think I'm…maybe that I could be…" He looked ready to cry once more. 

"What?" Wendy whispered. 

"I think I'm…growing up." He looked away from her, deep, unimaginable fear in his eyes. 

Wendy did not know what to say, how to comfort him, for it was clearly evident that he _was_ growing up. "Oh, Peter I'm so sorry but that doesn't mean you're sick, it doesn't mean you're going to die." She added comfortingly, recalling his cryptic statement. 

"Oh, I know that." He laughed, as if humouring her. "I'm going back to Neverland to kill myself. I just wanted to say goodbye to you first." He continued casually. 

Wendy gapped at him, deciding whether or not to believe him. "Peter, don't be silly." She said casually. "You don't have to kill yourself just because you seem to be growing up."

"Of course I do." He explained as if talking to a very young child. "It's my law. I can hardly disobey my own laws, could I?"

"Law?" Wendy asked, remembering something mentioned of this many, many years ago when she visited Neverland. 

"Yes, anyone who appears to be growing up has to leave Neverland or I'll run them through." He explained, unsheathing his sword. "And seen as I won't ever live here." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I've only one other option." 

Wendy merely stared in disbelief. Peter, seemingly satisfied she now understood, attempted to step around her and return to his realm and death.

"No Peter!" Wendy took his hand in both of hers. "Please don't! You can't!" She wept unashamedly. 

"I'm not afraid, Wendy." He replied calmly, squeezing her hand.

"But I am!" Wendy called out. "I'm afraid every day. The Lost Boys, Peter. Soon they will be sent away to fight in a war and I cannot stop them. I've already lost my parents, I don't think I could stand to loose them and…and you." 

Peter merely stared at her. He was not used to emotions and was unsure how to deal with them.

"I'll help you." Wendy perked up. "Maybe…maybe something is wrong with Neverland, something we can fix and then you'll be a boy again!" Wendy severely doubted this but she could not stand to loose Peter again. 

He eyed her suspiciously. "Return to Neverland?"

"Yes!" Wendy cried. "All of us, together once more! Like before…I…I can be mother and take care of the Lost Boys and…and we can all be happy, away from the war and no Hook! It'll be heavenly."

A dark look shadowed Peter's face at the mention of Hook but Wendy did not seem to notice. "All of us, together?" Peter asked, his voice coaxing, a sly look in his eye. 

"Yes." Wendy nodded, hope taking wings.

"Forever?" Peter pushed.

"Forever." Wendy confirmed.

Crowing loudly, Peter leapt into the air. Wendy watched him sail through the air before he stopped before her. Opening his hand, he revealed a pile of fairy dust. With a smirk he blew the shimmering dust and showered Wendy. Almost immediately she rose through the air and joined him floating above her bed. 

"You haven't forgotten." He replied amazedly. 

"How could I." Wendy smiled shyly at him. Peter continued to stare at he unashamedly and once more she felt herself blush. She was certainly going to have to reacquaint herself with his lack of manners. "Come, we must wake the boys." She flew through the door and into the small room the eight boys shared. "Wake up! Wake up!" She shouted, lighting the candles. "Peter Pan has come to take us back to Neverland!"

John grumbled in his sleep before sitting up groggily. "Wendy, don't be so silly. Peter Pan is only imaginary. Go back to sleep."

Unfortunately for John Peter had just entered to room as he said this. He narrowed his eyes at the boy before alighting next to his bed. With relative ease he knocked John from his bed and stood over him glaring sternly.

Hearing the commotion the other boys sat up blinking. Their gazes strayed from Wendy, still floating about the room, to the strange wild-looking young man standing with his hands on his hips and glaring at a pile of sheets on the floor. 

With some effort John, disentangled himself from his bed linen and stared up at Peter. He jaw dropped and he quickly retrieved his glasses before turning back to his once captain. "Peter?" He asked in disbelief. 

Peter smirked evilly in response before hitting John square between the eyes with fairy dust. He then joined Wendy in the air and continued to shower the boys with the sparkling powder. They were not as quick as Wendy in remembering the exact techniques required to fly, they had forgotten Peter after all, but with some gentle coaxing form Wendy and some not so gentle from Peter they were all soon in the air. 

Peter hovered next to the window and crowed to get their attention. Kicking the window open dramatically, he smiled crookedly back at them. "Next stop; Neverland!"

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Well, hope you like that so far. Next chapter…Return to Neverland, can things really go back to the way they were before…? An a new foe, with plans to take over where Hook left off! 


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